Joey Jones says he is thriving on the responsibility of being one of the mainstays at Woking and says he never doubted boss Garry Hill 's ability to build a side, despite a significant player exit this summer.

The centre-back enjoyed another influential game for the Cards in the emphatic 3-1 win against Swindon Town, Delano Sam-Yorke scoring twice and triallist Zac Ansah the opener.

The Cards looked impressive against the League One side, who included former Woking star John Goddard, and they looked increasingly dominant as the match wore on and might have prevailed by a bigger margin.

Read More

But the hosts began to find their feet and had some encouraging moments of their own in the first half, culminating in a goal just before half time when triallist Dennon Lewis picked out the marauding Jack Caprice down the right and he squared intelligently for Ansah to slot an easy chance from close range.

In the 67th minute, Woking added a second when a deep Max Kretzschmar corner was nodded back across goal by Brian Saah and Sam-Yorke headed in from close range.

Saah’s header from Fabio Saraiva’s inswinging corner from the right almost made it 3-0, Will Henry parrying away, before Charlie Penny linked well with Sam-Yorke who cut back on to his right foot just inside the penalty area and was brought down by Charles Dunne. The forward picking himself up to make it 3-0 from 12 yards.

Ormonde-Ottewill smashed in a late consolation for Swindon after Woking's Chike Kandi had seen a close-range header saved but it did not detract from a superb Woking display.

Jones was instrumental at the back and when asked his favourite position, is adamant he is a defender first and foremost despite some forays into midfield last term: “I’m a centre-half, full-stop,” he confirmed categorically.

Defensive role

“Midfield is not for me I don’t want to play there. I could probably play there but I don’t want to. I don’t want to be a utility man, filling in. I’m a centre-half and as I become older I am looking to become more experienced there. That’s my position.”

Having decided to stay with the club this summer, Jones is more than happy with less experienced players likely to look up to him this season. “There is added responsibility and I want that,” he added. “I thrive on that and it keeps me on my toes and everyone else on their toes. I like it.”

Can Cards do well this season despite the vast number of changes? “You can never tell,” he said. “Teams have had great pre-seasons before and gone and lost their first three league games, confidence gets down and you find yourselves in a rut.

“But like I said, we have good players and enthusiastic players so if we can carry that into the first game and hopefully get a result, anything can happen.”

Chance

Hill has given a chance for the likes of Saraiva and Penny to step up from lower-level football and he added: “They are two great players. Fab’s ability on the ball is second to none and he’s probably one of the best in the team I think, already.

"Charlie’s work-rate is always going to cause teams problems. It just shows how many good players there are out there at lower levels and I’m just glad the gaffer and Thommo have seen them first. I’ve no doubt they will do well.”

Charlie Carter has impressed (Image: David Holmes)

Meanwhile, another Charlie, Carter, has signed a one-year deal, the midfielder impressing and expected to be signed on non-contract forms, only for Hill to tie him to a contract.